On the first Tuesday of March Town Meeting Day, Vermont’s communities engage with civic issues at the local level through the practice of direct democracy. In addition to approving town reports and budgets, electing new leaders, and discussing social issues, Town Meeting Day is an opportunity to support nonprofit organizations that provide services to your community.
Wondering how your organization can get on municipal ballots? Read this guide from the Secretary of State’s office: Getting on the Ballot: A Practical Guide for Social Service Agencies.
2023 Results Highlights:
- Winooski elects historic slate of all-LGBTQ+ city councilors
- Equity policy supporters win in Milton school board elections
- Morristown rejects budget that called for 30% increase in spending
- Vermont Town Meetings are back. But for how long?
- School budgets sail on Town Meeting Day, with more spending driven by students’ mental health needs
- Bill would provide pay to vote at town meeting
Town Meeting Overview
How does voting work? Many Vermont towns hold in-person meetings with discussions and floor-votes, some towns opt to vote on issues solely by Australian ballot, and others utilize both decision making processes. This year, Act 1 (H. 42) of 2023 gives municipalities have the option to postpone their 2023 and 2024 meetings to a later date or hold the meeting remotely.
Where do I find information for my town? Most municipalities will share information about Town Meeting Day and ballot items on their website. For a complete list of 2023 polling locations and voting processes, click here. More information can be found on the Secretary of State’s site.
To learn more about what to expect this Town Meeting Day, see Vermont League of Cities and Towns’ 2023 Vermont Town Meeting Day Preview and “By the Numbers” excerpt below.
More Information
- Potlucks and Planes: Seven Votes to Watch on Town Meeting Day (Seven Days)
- Your guide to Vermont’s Town Meeting Day tradition: Here’s what you need to know. (VT Public)
- What’s on Vermont Town Meeting ballots? Three-quarters of a billion dollars in municipal requests (VT Digger)
- Your Guide To Town Meeting Day (ACLU VT)
- Vermont League of Cities and Towns Town Meeting Page
- A Citizen’s Guide to Vermont Town Meeting (VT Secretary of State)